Igniter for gas-engines



No. 620,924. Patented Mar. I4, I899.

L. J. HIRT.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS J. HIRT, OF BROOK LINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IGNITER FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,924, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed September 22,1897- Serial No. 852,623. No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS J. HIRT, residing in Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Igniters for Gas-Engines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to an igniter for gasengines, and has for its object to provide an igniter of increased efficiency, as will be described. 4

In accordance with this invention the igniter is provided with a series of igniting-tubes which are maintained hot, as by exposure to the flame of a gas-burner, and which are supplied with gas by branch passages from a main supply-passage, the said branch passages being controlled by separate valves, as will be described, whereby in case of accident to either of the said ignition-tubes its gas-supplying passage may be closed substantially in an instant without interfering with the running of the engine.

The particular features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 represents in vertical section an igniter embodying this invention; and Fig. 2, a horizontal section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a valve-casing provided, as herein shown,with a cylindrical valve-chamber a, in which is located a piston-valve a, provided with a stem or rod a The valve chamber or cylinder a is provided, as herein shown, with a gas-inlet port or passage a which in practice is adapted to communicate with the piston-cylinder of a gas-engine. (Not herein shown.) The valve cylinder or chamber a is also provided with a gas-outlet passage a vertically arranged in the casing A, as herein shown, and communicating with the upper end of the valve cylinder or chamber a.

The piston-valve a, as herein shown, is provided with a conical head a"',which is adapted to fit the conical seat a at the upper end of the cylinder or chamber a and out 01f communication between the passage a and the vertical passage a The passage a constituting the main supply-passage in accordance with this invention, has connected to it two independent branch passages a a", (see Fig. 2,) which are drilled or otherwise formed in the upper end of the casing A and which communicate, as herein shown, with ignitingtubes (1 a, detachably secured to the casing A in any suitable manner and in the present instance represented as clamped or fastened to the side of the casing in line with the passages a a by means of aburner pipe or chimney ,6, provided, as herein shown, with a bottom plate b, which supports a gas-inlet pipe or burner tube 19*, and which is provided with suitable air passages or openings 12 The burner-pipe b is provided, as herein shown, with a lining b of fire-brick or other refractory material. The tube a a may and preferably will be provided with a substantially small vent or outlet 1) for the gas compressed in them by the upward movement of the valve a.

The igniting-tubes a a are designed in practice to be maintained hotby the flame from the burner 6 and to avoid shutting down of the engine in case one of the igniting-tubes should become broken in any man= ner I have provided means for closing the passages a a which means are herein shown as two threaded bolts or rods Z9 5, extended down through suitable openings in the top of the casingA and into threaded sockets formed in the casing, so as to extend below the passages a a whereby either or both of the said passages may be closed by means of the bolts 19 b which constitute controlling-valves for the said passages. From an inspection of the drawings it will be seen that both ignitingtubes a a may be in service at onetime by opening both of the valves 12 19 or only one of the said tubes may be supplied with gas from the passage a at a time, so that in case accident should occur to either of the tubes a a the valve controlling the supply of gas to that tube can be closed substantially in an instant by the operator, which will avoid interruptions in the working of the engine.

The valve-rod a may be operated in any suitable or desired manner, such as now commonly practiced in gas-engines. v

I do not desire to limit my invention to the particular form of ignition-tubes shown, as they may be made of other forms.

I have herein shown my invention as embodied in an igniter having a Valve-chamber containing a valve; but I do" not desire to limit my invention in this respect, as the invention is applicable to an igniter in which the main supply-passage communicates directly with the engine-cylinder.

I claim- 1. In an igniter for gas-engines, the combination with a casing provided with a gas-supply passage having branch passages extended therefrom, of a burner pipe or chimney attached to said casing, ignition-tubes attached to said casing at the mouths of said branch passages and extended transversely into said chimney, a burner extended into said chimney below said ignition tubes to heat the same, and separate devices for closing said branch passages, substantially as described.

2. In an igniter for gas-engines, the combination with a gas-burner, of a plurality of ignition-tubes projected substantially horizontally into the path of the flame from said burner, a casing provided with a main gassupply passage and with branch passages communicating with said ignition tubes, and means located in said branch passages to open and close the same, substantially as described.

3. In an igniter for gas-engines, the combination with a valve-casing provided with a valve-chamber having a gas-outlet passage, of ignition tubes communicating with the gas-outlet for the valve-chamber by separate passages in the said casing, and means to control the said passages independent of each other, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS J. IIIRT.

WVitnesses:

J AS. II. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY. 

